Effect of forest biomass as bedding material on compost-bedded pack performance, microbial content, and behavior of nonlactating dairy cows
Lourdes Llonch, Lorena Castillejos, Eva Mainau, Xavier Manteca, A. Ferret
Abstract
of new bedding material per day. Ambient temperature and environmental humidity were 9.1°C and 82.5% in period 1, and 13.2°C and 75.3% in period 2. Average DMI and water consumption were 17.4 ± 0.86 kg/d and 50.9 ± 7.84 L/d in period 1, and 16.3 ± 0.96 kg/d and 56.3 ± 8.02 L/d in period 2. Average of temperature, moisture, and C:N ratio of CBP were 32.2°C, 63.6%, and 44:1 in CBP-S, and 24.3°C, 66.4%, and 35:1 in CBP-FB, respectively. Temperature was higher in CBP-S than in CBP-FB, and in period 2 compared with period 1. Moisture was higher in CBP-FB than in CBP-S in period 1, but did not differ between treatments in period 2. The C:N ratio was higher in CBP-S than in CBP-FB in both periods. Total bacteria count and Bacillus spp. were similar between treatments. Klebsiella spp. counts in CBP-S were higher than in CBP-FB, and Streptococcus spp. and yeasts and fungi counts in CBP-S were lower than in CBP-FB. Total coliforms, Escherichia coli, and Staphylococcus aureus counts in CBP-S were higher than in CBP-FB in period 1, but did not differ between treatments in period 2. No differences were detected in lying time (15.5 h/d), and time needed to lie down was higher in CBP-FB (5.3 s) than in CBP-S (4.6 s). We found that CBP performance and cow comfort in CBP-FB were lower than in CBP-S, but microbial counts of some species were better controlled in CBP-FB than in CBP-S.